TY - JOUR
T1 - Rehabilitation capital
T2 - a new form of capital to understand rehabilitation in a Nordic welfare state*
AU - Guldager, Rikke
AU - Poulsen, Ingrid
AU - Egerod, Ingrid
AU - Mathiesen, Lone Lundback
AU - Larsen, Kristian
PY - 2018
Y1 - 2018
N2 - Social, educational and health related equality is an ideal in the Nordic welfare states. However studies have shown that well-positioned patients achieve better treatment and more services, for example time and examinations, than others do. This article examines how patients and relatives mobilise resources in decision-making in a stroke unit. In particular, it focuses on the challenges in optimising the rehabilitation process faced by patients and relatives, and the strategies they use. Data were generated using participant observation and semi-structured interviews. Qualitative content analysis was applied to investigate the patients’ and relatives’ experiences of decision-making. We present a field-specific form of capital: An individual or a family's resources that are valued in the field of rehabilitation as physical, behavioural and cognitively embedded attitudes and practices. Rehabilitation capital consists of four closely interrelated components: Performative Participation (Cognitively Embedded Performance and Self-initiating Activities), Bodily Progression, Institutional Acceptance and Institutional Potential. It is a resource potentially benefitting patients and relatives during inpatient rehabilitation and may provide patients with an advantage, to ensure the best rehabilitation. The possession of Rehabilitation capital (high or low) contributes explanations for unequal practices and treatments at a micro-level in healthcare institutions.
AB - Social, educational and health related equality is an ideal in the Nordic welfare states. However studies have shown that well-positioned patients achieve better treatment and more services, for example time and examinations, than others do. This article examines how patients and relatives mobilise resources in decision-making in a stroke unit. In particular, it focuses on the challenges in optimising the rehabilitation process faced by patients and relatives, and the strategies they use. Data were generated using participant observation and semi-structured interviews. Qualitative content analysis was applied to investigate the patients’ and relatives’ experiences of decision-making. We present a field-specific form of capital: An individual or a family's resources that are valued in the field of rehabilitation as physical, behavioural and cognitively embedded attitudes and practices. Rehabilitation capital consists of four closely interrelated components: Performative Participation (Cognitively Embedded Performance and Self-initiating Activities), Bodily Progression, Institutional Acceptance and Institutional Potential. It is a resource potentially benefitting patients and relatives during inpatient rehabilitation and may provide patients with an advantage, to ensure the best rehabilitation. The possession of Rehabilitation capital (high or low) contributes explanations for unequal practices and treatments at a micro-level in healthcare institutions.
KW - Bourdieu
KW - inequality
KW - providers
KW - qualitative research
KW - rehabilitation
KW - stroke
U2 - 10.1080/14461242.2018.1434808
DO - 10.1080/14461242.2018.1434808
M3 - Journal article
AN - SCOPUS:85041546291
SN - 1446-1242
VL - 27
SP - 199
EP - 213
JO - Health Sociology Review
JF - Health Sociology Review
IS - 2
ER -